Border children: Immigrant families in crisis

Border Patrol agents detain migrants near U.S.-Mexico border

The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy and separation of families at the border sparked nationwide protests and condemnation from religious leaders. Amid the uproar, President Trump signed an executive order to end family separations on June 20, 2018.

Here's a look at what immigrant families have been experiencing on the U.S. border.

In this photo, a 2-year-old from Honduras cries as her mother is searched and detained near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

Zero tolerance policy

U.S. border authorities are executing the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy toward undocumented immigrants. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that domestic and gang violence in immigrants' countries of origin would no longer qualify them for political asylum status.

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Mother and son

A U.S. Border Patrol spotlight shines on a terrified mother and son from Honduras as they are found in the dark near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

The group of women and children had rafted across the Rio Grande from Mexico and had become lost in the woods. They were then detained by Border Patrol agents and then sent to a processing center for possible separation.

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Waiting

Central American asylum seekers wait for transport while being detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Central Processing Center

In this handout photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct intake of illegal border crossers at the Central Processing Center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Custody

A young child and other Central American asylum seekers wait as U.S. Border Patrol agents take them into custody on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

The families were then sent to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing center for possible separation.

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Father and son

Border Patrol agents take a father and son from Honduras into custody near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 near Mission, Texas.

Pending hearings

In a process known as "catch and release," people detained by U.S. authorities as unlawful immigrants can be released from detention while they wait for a hearing.

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Instructions

A migrant holds an envelope containing his court documents, registration papers, addresses, phone numbers, and instructions of how to get to his destination at a humanitarian center in McAllen, Texas on June 14, 2018.

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Possible separation

Central American asylum seekers are taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

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Families

Central American asylum seekers wait as U.S. Border Patrol agents take groups of them into custody on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

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No shoelaces allowed

A Honduran mother removes her 2-year-old daughter's shoelaces, as required by U.S. Border Patrol agents, after being detained near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Rafting across the Rio Grande

Under a moonless sky, a group of Central American asylum seekers rafts across the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas on June 12, 2018. They were later detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents and then sent to a processing center for possible separation.

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Catholic Charities relief center

Immigrants wait to head to a nearby Catholic Charities relief center after being dropped off at a bus station shortly after release from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Respite center

Central American immigrant families at a Catholic Charities respite center after being released from ICE custody on June 11, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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McAllen Border Patrol facility

In this handout photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct intake of illegal border crossers at the Central Processing Center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Waiting for help

Migrants wait to be assisted by volunteers in a humanitarian respite center in the border town of McAllen, Texas on June 14, 2018.

Credit: Leila Macor/AFP/Getty Images

Mother and daughter

A 16-year-old girl and her mother, immigrants from El Salvador, pass time at a Catholic Charities relief center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas, after being released from detention.

They said they were separated for approximately six days while in detention.

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Waiting for assistance

Migrants wait to be assisted by volunteers in a humanitarian respite center in the border town of McAllen, Texas on June 14, 2018.

Credit: Leila Macor/AFP/Getty Images

Detention

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrive to detain a group of Central American asylum seekers near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Central Processing at McAllen Border Patrol facility

In this handout photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct intake of illegal border crossers at the Central Processing Center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Police

A Mission Police Dept. officer and a U.S. Border Patrol agent watch over a group of Central American asylum seekers, including children, before taking them into custody on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

Local police officers often coordinate with Border Patrol agents in the apprehension of undocumented immigrants near the border.

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U.S. Border Patrol

U.S. Border Patrol agents detain a group of Central American asylum seekers near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

Catch and release

An immigrant mother recently released from detention carries a baby bottle inside a possessions bag on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

In a process known as "catch and release," people detained by U.S. authorities as unlawful immigrants can be released from detention while they wait for a hearing.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

A mother and her baby

A Guatemalan immigrant woman and her infant daughter, released from detention, depart a Catholic Charities relief center for a nearby bus station on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

Processing at McAllen Border Patrol facility

In this handout photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct intake of illegal border crossers at the Central Processing Center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Searching

A U.S. Border Patrol agent looks for groups of asylum seekers crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

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Father and son

An immigrant from El Salvador and his 10-year-old son pass the time at a Catholic Charities relief center after being released from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

Humanitarian center

Edilberto Garcia (2nd from the left), who was separated from his 17-year-old son after traveling from Honduras, sits among other migrants soon after arriving at a humanitarian center in the border town of McAllen, Texas on June 14, 2018.

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Waiting to get in

Central American immigrant families wait outside a Catholic Charities respite center after being released from ICE custody on June 11, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Sitting in the dirt

An undocumented immigrant sits in the dirt after U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended her in a sugarcane field near the U.S.-Mexico Border on June 12, 2018 near Mission, Texas.

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Walking to the relief center

Immigrants walk to a nearby Catholic Charities relief center after being dropped off at a bus station shortly after release from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

Border Patrol agent

A U.S. Border Patrol agent rehydrates after chasing and apprehending undocumented immigrants in a cane field near the U.S.-Mexico Border on June 12, 2018 near Mission, Texas.

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In the headlights

A U.S. Border Patrol vehicle illuminates a group of Central American asylum seekers before taking them into custody near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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Mother and daughter

Central American asylum seekers, including a Honduran girl, 2, and her mother, are taken into custody near the U.S.-Mexico border on June 12, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Leaving ICE custody

Pursuit

U.S. Border Patrol agents watch over a group of undocumented immigrants after chasing them through a cane field near the U.S.-Mexico Border on June 12, 2018 near Mission, Texas.

A helicopter from U.S. Air and Marine Operations assisted the ground agents in the pursuit.

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Border fence

A Central American immigrant stands at the U.S.-Mexico border fence after crossing into Texas on June 12, 2018 near Mission, Texas.

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Mother and baby

A Guatemalan woman and her infant daughter seeking asylum pass the time at a Catholic Charities relief center on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

Catholic Charities

Central American immigrant families prepare to visit a Catholic Charities respite center after being released from ICE custody on June 11, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

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McAllen Border Patrol facility

In this handout photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol agents conduct intake of illegal border crossers at the Central Processing Center on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Relief center

A pregnant woman from El Salvador seeking asylum waits at a Catholic Charities relief center on Sunday, June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Families

Dropped off

A woman carries a baby as immigrants are dropped off at a bus station shortly after being released from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

Electronic tracker

A tracker is seen on the ankle of Edilberto Garcia in a humanitarian center in the border town of McAllen, Texas on June 14, 2018. Officials use electronic ankle bracelets to monitor immigrants released from detention while they await hearings.

Credit: Leila Macor/AFP/Getty Images

Into custody

U.S. Border Patrol agents take Central American asylum seekers into custody on June 12, 2018 near McAllen, Texas.

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Mothers

Immigrants wait to head to a nearby Catholic Charities relief center after being dropped off at a bus station shortly after release from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: Loren Elliott/AFP/Getty Images

To the respite center

Central American immigrant families walk to a Catholic Charities respite center after being released from ICE custody on June 11, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.

Credit: John Moore/Getty Images

With their children

Immigrants walk to a nearby Catholic Charities relief center after being dropped off at a bus station shortly after release from detention on June 17, 2018 in McAllen, Texas.